Chef Katie Collier talks inspirations, what drives her and the styles that keep her moving.

For Katie Collier, life is about more than simply creating great food. The Midwestern chef and entrepreneur has focused her life’s work around a passion for crafting beautiful moments among family and friends. Known for her modern interpretation of regional Italian cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients, Katie is in her element the minute she walks into her kitchen.

“We want to look back and know that we innovated and changed the way people eat.”

Designer and woodworker Martin Goebel shares his mission, vision and the things that keep him moving.

The secret to Martin Goebel’s craft? Obsession. The Midwestern entrepreneur and artist’s passion for woodworking is reflected in furniture that is both elegant and simplistic. Using new technology like 3-D printing and traditional techniques, Martin’s pieces are an all-encompassing labor of love. “I’m trying to create an idealized version of the world through my work,” he says. “We create furniture that allows people to have a better life.”

As creator of the much-followed fashion blog, Street Style Teller, Jannel Therese inspires followers on the regular with her cool-girl style on the streets of New York. Originally a college project, Jannel's blog is now a must-read for thousands of fashionistas and was recently recognized as a finalist in H&M's Breakthrough Fashion Blogger of the Year competition. The fashion it-girl's casual, yet refined style is defined by unexpected pairings, layering, and standout accessories. Jannel not only moonlights as a coffee shop manager and barista, but also travels the world, sharing style tips based on every city's vibe. And through it all, she says the secret to her craft is simple: honesty and trust.

“I feel like no matter how reluctant and nerve-wracking it is to share my thoughts and opinions, I have to trust myself. I love that I am in control of what message and stories I put out there. I can only hope people can relate to what I say and inspire others to express themselves too.”

In a panic, around 4:45 a.m. Dressed in less than 10 minutes and in the car to the train station at 4:52 a.m. to open up a coffee shop in NYC at 6 a.m. My day begins so New Yorkers can begin theirs...with the cup of coffee I serve. When I'm focusing on my blog, I usually shoot, write or create a mood board for inspiration and try to learn the blogosphere a little better than I did. I feel like it's always a learning experience for me.

BEST WAY TO GET INSPIRED:

Surrounding myself with friends

Favorite thing to do when you are not creating:

Learning

Favorite thing to do during your free time:

I love surrounding myself with family and friends. I try to be off social media as much as I can. I also like to go hiking or restaurant hopping with my boyfriend. These are the things that make me genuinely happy.

Greatest Influence:

My parents. One of goals in my life is to finally tell them they can stop working.

The one thing in your closet you can’t live without:

Denim

DRS fave style:

Mules and sandals. I usually style them with denim and a basic staple like a T-shirt or button down shirt.

I always try to incorporate my travels into my style and blog posts. For instance, I styled one bomber jacket in NY and LA and wrote a blog post about how cities and a city's vibe can essentially affect how you dress.

Next up:

My trip to the Philippines in November for my 25th birthday. I haven't been back in 16 years!

ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE YOURSELF:

Just trust yourself and everything you do. The future will leave you speechless.

With her charming vintage flower trucks, Mattie Bush brings the beauty and ease of Parisian flower markets to neighborhoods all over Nashville. Using her travels as inspiration, combined with her entrepreneurial spirit, Mattie's business Amelia's Flower Truck makes visitors feel like they're being transported to another place. Her drive to bring a touch of beauty to everyone's day comes through in each of her handpicked, colorful bouquets.

“I’ve always wanted to do something creative that contributed to society, something where people find joy.”

Co-founder of Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. David Wolfe talks beer, giving back, and creating a sense of community

As the co-founder of Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., David Wolfe's passion is about much more than the beer. It's about fostering a sense of community, diversity, and sustainability with every pour. After years in the beer industry, David partnered with a German brewmaster to follow his dream and open a brewery that gives back to the St. Louis community. David was also deliberate in making Urban Chestnut a sustainable business, building their newest location as green as possible. “We have a self-guided tour that takes people through brewing and sustainability. It was important for us to help people recognize that that's how the world can operate.”

“Our passion for the community and St. Louis is our mantra, and we wanted to create something tangible that worked every day for the city, and we’ve wrapped our business and our beer into that.”

For shop owner & curator Julia Leenig, design is at the heart of everything. With a passion for the creative arts that goes back to her childhood, Julia dabbled in everything from writing to cake decorating before realizing her calling for interior design. Julia and her husband Brian, a designer for Crate & Barrel, loved finding and restoring vintage pieces and selling them on Etsy, and eventually decided to take a leap and make it their full-time gig, opening Future Ancestor, an utterly charming and carefully curated furniture and home goods shop in St. Louis. With a minimal vintage-meets-modern aesthetic, Julia and Brian, with their two toddler sons in tow, sell everything from vintage furniture and accessories to curated pottery and jewelry made by local artists. Their hope is to inspire others to create beauty in their own spaces. "I have a definite vision, but I don't take it too seriously. Do what you like, and do what feels good. Be true to yourself."

"I love creating a home for my family that is calming, inspiring, and constantly changing. Bringing these ideas for others gives me so much joy."

With two kids under 5, it's very fluid. On a good day, I wake up before everyone else to get some work done. After school drop off the baby usually comes with me to the shop to shoot pictures, rearrange the shop, or bring in new finds. The shop opens at 11, and I bounce back and forth from there to home. I also really love being alone in the shop when it's closed, usually during the evening. It's quiet and I can play a podcast and knock out some design.

YOUR WORK STUDIO:

My dining room table. I take photographs at the shop for our social media and our website, and we're working on turning the apartment above our shop into a studio space.

WHEN & WHERE YOU'RE THE HAPPIEST:

I love it when my kids are at the shop at the end of a long Saturday and we're getting ready to go to dinner. That moment perfectly hits all of my work/life balance points.

STAYING ON THE MOVE:

Our family loves taking long walks. I think my husband and I have had some of our best conversations while pushing a double stroller. When we can't get outside, I like to squeeze in some 10-minute high-intensity workouts that I find online.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE SHOP:

We try to offer things you can't buy everywhere. We love supporting small makers across the country. We want to inspire people to see the magic of collecting pieces over time.

SECRET TO YOUR CRAFT:

At the beginning, we were trying to be something for everyone. We've gotten a lot more refined, which has been better for us in every way.

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE:

My husband and business partner, Brian. He is a huge design lover, but has a greater understanding of architecture, construction, and restoration that totally fascinates me.

WHAT MAKES YOUR WORK POSSIBLE:

Our team. We have shop girls who take all the daily tasks of the store, and that really allows me to do the shopping and spend time with my kids.

DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE:

Like my interior design style, I would describe my personal style as timeless meets modern. My personal style is very casual on a day-to-day level. I'm definitely a jeans-and-t-shirt girl 70% of the time out of pure practicality, but when I get the chance, I love to dress up in everything impractical. Just like decorating a home, I think it's best to invest in high-quality basics and change up your accessories to give yourself a taste of a particular trend.

FAVORITE PLACES TO SHOP:

For everyday wear, I like classic brands like Everlane, Gap, and Levi's. For the fun stuff, I love exploring smaller clothing designers like Hackwith Design House or Miranda Bennett or local stores that carry more boutique designers, like Goodwin or Two Son. Of course, I also like to check out vintage clothes when we're hunting for furniture, but I like to also to see how other stores curate vintage clothing, like Mesa Home, Dear Society, or Barnaby Jack Vintage.

PLACE ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET LIST:

Right now, I can't stop pricing flights to Denmark.

WHAT'S NEXT:

We have big dreams. We'd love to do a catalog, get a bigger store, maybe open some off-shoot stores with the same aesthetic, like a clothing store or a plant shop. We're also looking into offering interior design services in the future.